Pistol holster construction



9, 1966 F. R. MARBURGER PISTOL HOLSTER CONSTRUCTION Filed March 22, 1965 I NVE N TOR. Fred R. Mwrbwrgar VMZW &M

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,265,259 PISTOL HOLSTER CONSTRUCTION Fred R. Marburger, 1529 19th St. NW., Canton, Ohio 44709 Filed Mar. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 441,516 6 Claims. (Cl. 2242) My invention relates to a construction of holster for holding pistols, and more specifically to a construction of holster for holding pistols preferably concealed beneath an outer garment, as used by police and other authorized and licensed persons. Even more specifically, my invention relates to a construction of holster for holding pistols of various forms, such as revolvers, automatics and semi-automatics, in a manner for removal of the particular pistol from the holster with a maximum of ease and interference, and in a minimum amount of time.

Many prior constructions of holsters for pistols have been provided for many uses. Further, in certain types of uses, these prior constructions have been perfectly satisfactory, and particularly in instances where the pistol may be carried fully exposed and it is not' necessary to conceal the same.

There are many cases, however, in which it is desirable, if not mandatory, that the pistol be carried concealed to the maximum extent, yet easily and quickly accessible for emergent use. For instance, in the case of the modern plain-clothes police ofiicer, it is desirable that the officer will present the outward appearance of a usual business man and without the appearance that the necessary concealed pistol is being carried.

One of the major difiiculties with the prior holster construction where it is necessary to carry the pistol in an undetectable, concealed manner is the greatbulk of the holster itself. Furthermore, the particular manner in which these prior holster constructions have received and retained the pistol therein has only increased this problem of bulk, so that it is virtually impossible to carry the pistol in such holster constructions without ready detection, even though the pistol and holster are concealed beneath an outer garment, such as a suit coat.

A further problem with the prior holster constructions used for carrying pistols in an attempted concealed manner is that, in order to securely retain the pistol in the holster and against accidental displacement therefrom, it has been necessary to provide a major enclosure of the pistol. This results in the circumstance that the pistol cannot readily and easily be removed and disengaged from the holster.

Still a further problem present with the prior constructions of holsters for pistols is occasioned by the fact that when it is necessary to carry a pistol concealed beneath an outer garment, the usual and most convenient place for suspending the holster is on the belt of the wearer, and this results in the retained position of the pistol being relatively high on the wearers body and not in the most convenient place for removal by hand from the holster. With the prior holster constructions, in order to securely retain the piston in the holster, it has been necessary to provide some form of downwardly closed pocket which has resulted in the necessity, upon removal of the pistol, to draw the pistol first upwardly, prior to obtaining disengagement from the holster. This is an inconvenient movement, time to the already relatively high placement of the pistol and a movement which is time consuming.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide a holster construction for pistols which solves the problems of the prior constructions as discussed in the foregoing.

It is a general object of the present invention to pro- 3,265,259 Patented August 9, 1966 ice vide a holster construction for pistols in which the pistol is securely retained during non-use, but from which the pistol may be quickly, conveniently and easily removed upon the occasion of emergent use.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a holster construction for pistols with which the holster and pistol are carried in such a manner that it is virtual-1y unnecessary to first draw the pistol upwardly for obtaining disengagement from the holster, but rather it is only necessary to pivot the pistol in either direction of usual removal and the pistol will withdraw cleanly from the holster.

It is still an additional object of the present invention to provide a holster construction for pistols with which the holster and pistol, although carried on the wearers belt, are carried with a minimum of bulk and closely against the wearers body, such that the maximum of concealment is provided beneath an outer garment.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a holster construction for pistols which satisfies all of the above objects in a relatively simple and efficient manner, and may be provided at a minimum of cost.

These and other objects are accomplished by the parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and subcombinations comprising the present invention, a preferred embodiment of whichil-lustrative of the best mode in which applicant has contemplated applying the principlesis set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and which is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims forming a part hereof.

In general terms, the holster construction for pistols comprising the present invention may be stated as being of the type for holding pistols with the barrel portions thereof extending downwardly. Further, the holster construction includes forward and rearward sides preferably having spaced lower end portions joined by an intermediate lower supporting portion, all of which may be molded in one piece from a relatively soft, resilient, semirigid, plastic material.

Further, the lower supporting portion of the construction is formed with an upper surface extending between the sides and being positioned supporting a front edge of the pistol frame between the pistol trigger guard and pistol barrel portion, with the forward and rearward sides extending upwardly along the pistol frame inward of and free of covering the pistol trigger guard. Also, the forward side has an upper end portion extending over the back surface of the pistol frame and to an upper end portion of the rearward side, with means selectively detachably securing the upper end portions of these forward and rearward sides and with the sides fitting snugly against the pistol frame.

The surfaces of at least the forward and rearward sides which are positioned inwardly against the pistol frame are molded conforming skin-fitting to the side contour of the pistol frame so that these surfaces snugly abut and conform to the pistol frame side contour when the forward and rearward sides are secured by the foregoing securing means. Further, the forward and rearward sides are constructed forming openings relative to the lower supporting portion, and the lower supporting portion is formed such that the pistol may be pivoted on the front edge of the pistol frame over the lower supporting portion in either direction in a plane substantially parallel to the forward and rearward sides for the release and removal of the pistol from the holster when the upper end portions of the sides are selectively detached.

Finally, belt loop means is operably connected to the forward and rearward sides and lower supporting pOrtion 3 for securing the holster to a belt, and it is preferred that this belt loop means will be formed through the rearward side lower end portion generally adjacent the lower supporting portion and underlying at least a part of the pistol frame side contour projecting into the molded skin-fitting surface of the rearward side. It is also preferred to form this belt loop means as a downwardly opening slot formed by generally vertically extending,

oppositely disposed, internal surfaces of the rearward side, with plug means positioned in the slot normally downwardly closing a lower part of this slot and with means detachably securing the plug means to and movable with one of the rearward side internal slot surfaces, so that the plug means will normally be positioned generally abutting, but separable from, the other of the rearward side internal slot surfaces upon the urging of internal slot surfaces apart to open the lower part of the slot and permit downward passage of the belt from the slot.

By way of example, an embodiment of the holster construction for pistols of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals indicate similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the holster construction retaining a .pistol therein and mounted supported on a belt;

FIG. 2, a front elevation of the holster construction of FIG. 1 with a pistol shown in broken lines in positions pivoting from the holster construction for removal therefrom;

FIG. 3, a side elevation of the pistol construction of FIG. 1 with the upper end portions of the holster forward and rearward sides detached and the pistol removed, and with the belt loop portion of the holster shown in broken lines in a displaced position for the passage of a belt from the belt loop FIG. 4, a bottom plan view of the holster construction of FIG. 1 with the pistol removed FIG. 5, a sectional view, part in elevation, looking in the direction of the arrows 55 in FIG. 3 and showing the pistol in broken lines;

FIG. 6, a sectional view, part in elevation, looking in the direction of the arrows 6-6 in FIG. 3 and showing the pistol in broken lines;

FIG. 7, a fragmentary rear elevation of the holster construction of FIG. 1 with the pistol removed; and

FIG. 8, a perspective view of the belt slot plug of the holster construction of FIG. I removed from the holster construction.

Referring to the drawings, the embodiment of the holster construction of the present invention illustrated includes a forward side member 10 having upper and lower end portions 11 and '12, a rearward side member 13 having upper and lower end portions 14 and 15, a lower supporting portion 16, fastening means, generally indicated at 17, and detachably fastening the upper end portions 11 and 14 of the forward and rearward side members 10 and 13, and a belt loop, generally indicated at 18, and preferably formed through the lower end portion 15 of the rearward side member :13. Furthermore, the particular embodiment of the holster construction shown is specifically adapted for receiving and retaining a revolver, generally indicated at 19, having the usual grip 20, frame 21, exposed hammer 22, cylinder 23, trigger guard 24, trigger 25, projecting barrel portion 26, and cylinder release 27.

It is preferred to form the holster construction with the forward and rearward side members .10 and 13 and the lower supporting portion 16 molded in one piece from a relatively soft, resilient, semi-rigid, plastic material, such as polyethylene and similar types of plastics. It should be understood, however, that other materials having similar characteristics could be used and that it is not intended to limit the broad principles of the present invention to any particular material, so that when the term plastic is used, it should be interpreted in the broader sense and in the terms of the characteristics set forth.

As shown, the forward side manner 10 is of greater width in face view at the lower end portion 12 thereof, extending substantially across the front edge 28 of the revolver frame 21, with the exception of that portion of the revolver frame front edge from which the barrel portion 26 projects. Furthermore, this forward side member 10 extends of decreased width upwardly to the upper end portion 11, where this upper end portion is of sufficient length so as to extend over a part of the rear edge 29 of the revolver frame 21, in this particular case, also over the revolver hammer 22. At the rearward side member 13, this forward side upper end portion 11 is then selectively detaohably fastened, through fastening means 17, to the upper end portion 14 of the rearward side member 13.

The rearward side member 13 is generally similar to the forward side member 10 with the exception that the rearward side member is of slightly greater width in face view so as to receive thereagainst the revolver barrel portion 26 and a greater portion of the revolver frame 21, including a greater portion of the revolver cylinder 23. The upper end portion :14 of the rearward side member 13 is reduced to substantially the same width as the upper end portion 11 of the forward side member 10.

The particular selectively detachable fastening means 17, in this particular case, is a usual snap fastener with the female portion 30 secured in the forward side member 10 and the male portion 31 secured in the rearward side member 13.

It will be particularly noted, as indicated in FIGS. 1, 2, 5 and 6, that both the forward and rearward side members 10 and 13 are formed free of covering the revolver trigger guard 24 and trigger 25. In this particular case, these members are even cut away from these portions of the revolver.

The lower supporting portion 16 is preferably molded integrally between the spaced lower end portions 12 and 15 of the forward and rearward side members 10 and 13 so as to provide a somewhat thickened intermediate portion in the holster between the forward and rearward side members having an upper supporting surface 32. As best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, this upper supporting surface 32 of the lower supporting portion 16 conforms to the revolver frame front edge 28 from the trigger guard side of this frame to the revolver cylinder release 27 where a pocket 33 is formed for receiving the cylinder release 27. Thus, when the revolver 19 is positioned in the holster with the barrel portion 26 extending downwardly, the weight of the revolver is primarily supported by the revolver frame front edge 28 engaged downwardly with the upper supporting surface 32 of the holster lower supporting portion 16.

It will be further noted that the upper supporting surface 32 of the holster lower supporting portion '16, as well as the forward and rearward side members 10 and 13, all end short of or at the trigger guard end of the revolver frame front edge 28, and the other end of the upper supporting surface 32 of the lower supporting portion 16 ends at the pocket 33 for the revolver cylinder release 27, with this pocket 33 necessarily opening both upwardly and toward the revolver barrel portion 26. For these reasons, and as indicated in FIG. 2, there is nothing to prevent the revolver from rocking or pivoting along the revolver frame front edge 28 over this upper supporting surface 32 of the lower supporting portion 16 in either direction in a plane parallel to the forward and rearward side members 10 and 13, when these side members are released, as will be hereinafter morefully explained.

Also most important to the principles of the present invention, it is preferred that the inwardly facing surfaces 34 and 35 of the forward and rearward side members 10 and 13, that is, those surfaces facing the revolver 19, will be molded conforming skin-fitting to the side contour of the revolver frame 21, as shown in FIGS. and 6, so that when the upper end portions 11 and 14 of the forward and rearward side members and 13 are secured by fastening means 17 with the revolver 19 therebetween, as shown in FIG. 1, these surfaces 34 and 35 will exactly conform to the projections and depressions of the revolver frame 21, such as receiving the projection of the revolver cylinder 23 and being received in the grooving of this cylinder as shown. This skin-fitting, in view of the increased extent of the rearward side member 13, may also apply between this rearward side member, a greater portion of the revolver frame 21, and the revolver barrel portions 26.

Thus, although the particular construction of the forward and rearward side members 10 and 13 and the lower supporting portion 16 is such so as to permit the rocking or pivoting of the revolver 19 over the upper supporting surface 32 of the holster lower supporting portion 16 when the upper end portions 11 and 14 of the forward and rearward side members 10 and 13 are released as previously described, when these upper end portions of the side members are secured by the fastening means 17, the inwardly facing surfaces 34 and 35 will be brought into snug abutment with the revolver frame 21 so that, through the conforming skin-fitting of these surfaces exactly with the contour of the pistol frame 21, the revolver 19 will be securely held against such pivoting and displacement from the holster.

In view of the fact that the forward and rearward side members 10 and 13 are formed of the resilient plastic material as previously described, once the upper end portions 11 and 14 of these side members are released, there will be little restriction of the pivoting of the revolver 19 for the removal of the revolver by merely a slight resilient spreading of these side members as urged by such pivoting. Additionally, the inherent qualities of the molded plastic materials, such as polyethylene, provide smooth, somewhat self-lubricating surfaces which will aid in this release and movement.

The belt loop 18 is preferably formed in the lower end portion of the rearward side member 13 by the downwardly opening slot 36 having oppositely disposed internal surfaces 37 and 38, as best seen in FIG. 3. The lower part of slot 36 is closed by a plug 39, shown separate and removed from the rearward side member 13 in FIG. 8.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 7 and 8, the plug 39 is removably secured against the slot internal surface 38 by means of the cylindrical fastener 40 received through surface 38 into the rearward side member 13, and the spaced ears 41 received in appropriate slots 42. Thus, when this plug 39 is secured abutting the slot internal surface 38 by this cylindrical fastener 40 and ears 41, the plug will also abut the slot internal surface 37 and normally close the lower portion of slot 36.

When, however, it is desired to engage or disengage the holster with a belt 43, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it is merely necessary to force the plug 39, and that part of the rearward side member 13 to which the plug is attached, away from the slot internal surface 37, as indicated by broken lines in FIG. 3, and the belt 43 may then freely move in and out of the slot. Also, the plug 39 may be cut to the particular size appropriate to the belt normally used, whether narrow or wide, prior to the positioning of this plug in the slot 36.

Another important feature of the present invention is that it is preferred to locate the belt slot 36 not only in the lower end portion 15 of the rearward side member 13, but also, as shown in FIG. 3, underlying at least a portion of the revolver frame 21. This will place the 6 rearward side member 13 inwardly a maximum distance and tightly against the person wearing the holster so as to not only support the weight of the revolver 19 at least partially over the belt 43, but also place the holster in a maximum concealed position.

Although the particular embodiment of the holster construction of the present invention illustrated is for use with the revolver 19, it is obvious that this holster construction can be equally as well adapted for use with revolvers, automatics or semiautomatics, while still following essentially identical ideas and features described. It is, therefore, not intended to limit the principles of the present invention to the particular embodiment shown, but rather the invention and principles may be applied to any of the many various types of pistols.

Thus, according to the principles of the present invention, a holster construction for pistols is provided with which it is unnecessary to first draw the pistol upwardly for obtaining disengagement from the holster, but rather it is merely necessary to first release the attachment of the upper end portions 11 and 14 of the forward and rearward side members 10 and 13, and then pivot the pistol frame frontedge 28 over the upper supporting surface 32 of the holster lower portion 16 in either direction of usual removal, and the pistol will withdraw cleanly from the holster.

At the same time, when the upper end portions 11 and 14 of the forward and rearward side members 10 and 13 are attached by the fastening means 17, due to the fact that the inwardly facing surfaces 34 and of the forward and rearward side members 10 and 13 which face the side contour of the pistol frame are formed molded and conforming skin-fitting to this pistol frame side contour so as to exactly conform to the projections and depressions thereof, the pistol is normally retained securely during non-use. Furthermore, this is despite the foregoing easy removal of the pistol when the forward and rearward side upper end portions 11 and 14 are selectively detached.

Finally, according to the principles of the present invention, although the holster and pistol are carried on the wearers belt 43, the holster and pistol still provide a minimum of bulk, particularly due to the fact that it is preferred to form the belt loop 18 by the belt slot 36 partial-1y underlying a portion of the pistol frame contour projecting into the inwardly facing surface 35 of the rearward side member 13. In this manner, a large portion of the weight of the pistol is supported downwardly on the belt 43, and the holster rearward side member 13 is positioned closely against the wea'rers body.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom, because such words are used for descriptive purposes herein and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiment of the improved construction illustrated and described herein is by way of example and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown.

Having now described the invention, the construction, operation and use of a preferred embodiment thereof, and the advantageous, new and useful results obtained thereby, the new and useful construction and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Holster construction for holding pistols with the barrel portions thereof extending downwardly including forward and rearward sides having spaced lower end portions joined by an intermediate lower supporting portion, the lower supporting portion having an upper surface extending between the sides and being positioned for supporting the front edge of a pistol frame between the pistol trigger guard and the pistol barrel portion, the

forward and rearward sides extending upwardly along the pistol frame inward of and free of covering the pistol trigger guard, the forward side having an upper end portion extending over a back surface of the pistol frame and to an upper end portion of the rearward side, means selectively detachably securing the upper end portions of the forward and rearward sides with said sides fitting snuggly against the pistol frame, surfaces of at least the forward and rearward sides inwardly against the pistol frame being molded conforming skin-fitting to the side contour of the pistol frame and snugly abutting and conforming to said pistol frame side contour when the forward and rearward sides are secured by said means, the forward and rearward sides and lower supporting portion being constructed and arranged for the pivoting of the front edge of the pistol frame over the lower supporting portion in either direction in a plane substantially parallel to the forward and rearward sides for the release and removal of the pistol from the holster when the upper end portions of the forward and rearward sides are selectively detached, and belt loop means operably connected to the forward and rearward sides and lower supporting portion for securing the holster to a belt.

2. Holster construction as defined in claim 1 in which the forward and rearward sides and lower supporting port-ion are molded in one piece of a resilient, semi-rigid, plastic material.

3. Holster construction as defined in claim 1 in which the belt loop means is formed through the rearward side lower end portion generally adjacent the lower supporting portion and underlying at least a part of the pistol frame side contour which is formed projecting into the molded skin-fitting surface of the rearward side.

4. Holster construction as defined in claim 1 in which the belt loop means is formed through the rearward side lower end portion generally adjacent the lower supporting portion and underlying at least a part of the pistol frame side contour which is formed projecting into the molded skin-fitting surface of the rearward side; in which the belt loop means includes a downwardly opening slot formed by generally vertically extending oppositely disposed internal surfaces of the rearward side, plug means positioned in the slot normally downwardly closing a lower part of said slot, means detachably securing the plug means to and movable with one of the rearward side internal slot surfaces, and the plug means being positioned normally abutting the other of the rearward side internal slot surfaces for downwardly closing the slot lower part and being separably from said other slot surface upon the urging of said slot surfaces apart to open the lower part of the slot and permit downward passage of a belt from the slot.

5. Holster construction for holding pistols with the barrel portions thereof extending downwardly including molded resilient semi-rigid plastic material forward and rearward sides having lower end portions, means operably connecting at least the forward and rearward side lower end portions for supporting a pistol between the sides and with the sides extending upwardly along the pistol frame, the forward side having an upper end portion extending over a back surface of the pistol frame and to an upper end portion of the rearward side, means selectively detachably securing the upper end portions of the forward and rearward sides with said sides fitting snugly against the pistol frame, surfaces of at least the forward and rearward sides inwardly against the pistol frame being molded conforming skin-fitting to the side contour of the pistol frame and snugly abutting and conforming to said pistol frame side contour when the forward and rearward sides are secured by said means, the forward and rearward sides being resiliently separable for the release and removal of the pistol from the holster when the upper end portions of the forward and rearward sides are selectively detached, and belt loop means formed through the rearward side lower end portion underlying at least a part of the pistol frame side contour which is formed projecting into the molded skin-fitting surface of the rearward side for securing the holster to a belt.

6. Holster construction as defined in claim 5 in which the belt loop means includes a downwardly opening slot formed by generally vertically extending oppositely disposed internal surfaces of the rearward side, plug means positioned in the slot normally downwardly closing a lower part of said slot, means detachably securing the plug means to and movable with one of the rearward side internal slot surfaces, and the plug means being positioned normally abutting the other of the rearward side internal slot surfaces for downwardly closing the slot lower part and being separable from said other slot surface upon the urging of said slot surfaces apart to open the lower part of the slot and permit downward passage of a belt from the slot.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,109,734 3/1938 Preneta 224-2 3,126,136 3/1964 Kippen 224-2 3,200,021 8/1965 Clark 2242 X GERALD M. FORLENZA, Prima/y Examiner. F. WERNER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. HOLSTER CONSTRUCTION FOR HOLDING PISTOLS WITH THE BARREL PORTIONS THEREOF EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY INCLUDING FORWARD AND REARWARD SIDES HAVING SPACED LOWER END PORTIONS JOINED BY AN INTERMEDIATE LOWER SUPPORTING PORTION, THE LOWER SUPPORTING PORTION HAVING AN UPPER SURFACE EXTENDING BETWEEN THE SIDES AND BEING POSITIONED FOR SUPPORTING THE FRONT EDGE OF A PISTOL FRAME BETWEEN THE PISTOL TRIGGER GUARD AND THE PISTOL BARREL PORTION, THE FORWARD AND REARWARD SIDES EXTENDING UPWARDLY ALONG THE PISTOL FRAME INWARD OF AND FREE OF COVERING THE PISTOL TRIGGER GUARD, THE FORWARD SIDE HAVING AN UPPER END PORTION EXTENDING OVER A BACK SURFACE OF THE PISTOL FRAME AND TO AN UPPER END PORTION OF THE REARWARD SIDE, MEANS SELECTIVELY DETACHABLY SECURING THE UPPER END PORTIONS OF THE FORWARD AND REARWARD SIDES WITH SAID SIDES FITTING SNUGGLY AGAINST THE PISTOL FRAME, SURFACES OF AT LEAST THE FORWARD AND REARWARD SIDE INWARDLY AGAINST THE PISTOL FRAME BEING MOLDED CONFORMING SKIN-FITTING TO THE SIDE CONTOUR OF THE PISTOL FRAME AND SNUGLY ABUTTING AND CONFORMING TO SAID PISTOL FRAME SIDE CONTOUR WHEN THE FORWARD AND REARWARD SIDE ARE SECURED BY SAID MEANS, THE 